Articles

Parenting Time v. Visitation

In Virginia, when you file for child custody, you also often file for visitation and child support.  These petitions go hand in hand for a number of reasons, but probably the biggest one is that, if you don’t ask for something, the court doesn’t have the power to award it.  So many things in law...

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Does cheating matter for child custody?

There are few things in a family law context that drive extreme emotion quite like adultery and child custody.  When you combine the two, it’s a recipe for volatility. But … does it matter? It’s an excellent question and one definitely worth discussing.  Let’s get into it. If your soon-to-be ex-husband (or ex boyfriend) cheated...

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When can I file for divorce?

The laws are changing beginning July 1 – so, though my answer to this question up until now would have been one thing, now it is different.  Let’s talk about it! In Virginia, we have both fault and no fault divorce.  (At least for now – the Virginia Family Law Coalition is looking into this...

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In the last several years, there have been some major changes to Virginia family law.  Just last year, in 2025, guideline child support amounts were raised.  This year, in 2026, the two major changes for family law are (1) that post-separation adultery is no longer recognized as a cause of action and (2) that, even...

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Parenting Plan Options: Part Two

Coming up with a parenting plan isn’t just about how you’ll share the days in each week, though it is certainly about how you’ll share the days in the week.  To make matters even more complicated, there are many other considerations that should be reflected in your parenting plan, and you’ll want to make sure...

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Parenting Plan Options: Part One

If you’ve never been through it before, it’s hard to know what to ask for when it comes to custody and visitation.  Probably you realize that your soon-to-be ex (husband, boyfriend, partner – whatever the label) will have at least some parenting time.  But what will that look like?  How can it be structured?  What...

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Adultery AFTER Separation: July 1, 2016

Divorce from bed and board is getting all of the hype this July, but it’s not the only change that Virginia has implemented this year.  In case you hadn’t heard, Virginia is no longer recognizing post separation adultery as a cause of action. Let’s discuss. Pre v. Post Separation Adultery               What is adultery? Adultery...

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Divorce From Bed and Board: July 1, 2026

This July 1 will mark a big change for Virginia law – and we want you to be among the first to hear about it.  Actually, it’s important that you not just hear about it, but you actually understand what the law is trying to do. Virginia has always recognized both a divorce from bed...

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